Latest News – July 23

New Interpretive Signs at the Matchless Mine

The National Mining Hall of Fame and Museum (NMHFM) announced last week that new interpretive wayside signs have been installed at the Matchless Mine.

Thanks to some help from Duran & Lucero, the new signs at the Matchless Mine were installed last week at the popular tourist attraction in Leadville.

The informative and colorful signs allow visitors the option of taking a self-guided tour instead of a tour led by a trained guide. Visitors may take self-guided tours anytime between noon and 4:45 p.m. through September. Hour-long guided tours are available daily at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. All tours are cash only.

The Matchless Mine is on the National Register of Historic Places and is part of the National Mining Hall of Fame and Museum. It is significant because of the large amount of silver mined there in the 19th century and its association with Silver King Horace Tabor and his wife, Elizabeth “Baby Doe” Tabor.

The Matchless Mine in Leadville, Colorado

Signs discuss mining history, operations, and geology, as well as features visible throughout the historic site. Fabrication and design of the signs were made possible with financial support from Climax Molybdenum, The Summit Foundation, Don L. Griswold Charitable Foundation Trust, and Marcia and Frank McAllister. Fred Mark, Vincent Matthews, and Justin Weiss provided important input on content and graphic design. Duran & Lucero of Leadville provided equipment and labor to install the signs.

Commenting on the self-guided tour: A recent visitor said, “I enjoyed it. Signs were easy to read and had great info.”

The mission of the National Mining Hall of Fame and Museum is to tell the story about mining, its people, and its importance to the American public. The Matchless Mine is located 1.25 miles east of Harrison Avenue on 7th Street in the Leadville Mining District.

Information about the NMHFM and Matchless Mine can be accessed at www.mininghallofame.org.

Road Sealing Work To Close Baby Doe on Monday

High mountain dwellers know how short the build-it/fix-it season is up at 10,152 feet, so you’d better get it done before the snow starts to fly again!

Baby Doe Drive in the Turquoise Lake subdivision will be closed to traffic on Monday July 25. Photo: Leadville Today

To that end Baby Doe Drive in the Turquoise Lake subdivision will be closed from 7 a.m. – 7 p.m. next Monday, July 25 for some re-sealing work on the road.

Foothills Paving and Maintenance, Inc. is under contract with Lake county to resurface the street with a process called Slurry Seal. Residents will start to see the “No Parking” signs on the street, and are asked to please remove their vehicles and either place in them your driveway or the nearest street where “No Parking” signs are not visible.

It’s somewhat of a test-pilot program for Lake County. The sealant is a preventative process that applies a mixture of aggregate and emulsion to structurally sound streets. If it lives up to the hype, the sealant should give the road extended wear, and therefore more years before it has to be re-surfaced.

Please plan ahead for the road closure and for additional info, CLICK HERE.